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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 116 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · rest · patient · leaves · drill · swing

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. swing — music
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. drill — army training
  8. swing — to play on
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — in golf
  12. drill — a practice
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. season — in sport
  16. season — of the year
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. leaves — lets stay

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com